M. and K. L. | Serving in Asia

This time of year is always so full! For each of us, the fullness looks different, and it looks different from year to year. Regardless of the events, people, or things that fill this season, it is such a wonderful time of the year to truly find joy in what Jesus did for us, is doing for us, and will do for us! For our family, we will be returning to the United States for deputation right after the Worldwide Gathering in Thailand. It’s hard to believe that we have been in Asia long enough for this to be our second deputation. And, while we are looking forward to all the joys of being around family and friends this season, we are also grieving being away from our home in Asia. Despite the chaos of a typical Christmas season in Asia, we love getting to share the true meaning of Christmas with our friends.

Before leaving we had the opportunity to meet with many of our friends either in their houses or ours, and we gave Christmas packages so they would even then have the reminder of Christmas and whom we celebrate. We know that despite us not being there physically, we can rejoice that God has not left our village or valley. He is still working in the hearts of those that we love and those we have yet to meet. God has been faithful to us through our many toils these last (almost) eight years, and he won’t stop working because we aren’t there right now. We need to trust God’s timing for his workings to come. Just like Mary and Joseph had to trust God in every detail of the circumstances leading up to the birth of the Son of God, we must trust God in all the details of our lives, even when things end up looking differently than we expected.

We had to leave Asia early before the Worldwide Gathering because some of our visas expired. So, we have had the opportunity of spending time together as a family in Thailand. And while we would have rather been in Asia, being with friends, and working on establishing our business legally, or in America working on setting up a new home and visiting family, we are trusting God and his details. While in Thailand, M. became quite sick with a bacterial infection called scrub typhus, and we are very thankful that we were able to get answers and medication quickly so that he could have a fast recovery. We have also recently suffered the loss of M.’s grandmother and grieved the loss of her life while being an ocean away. It has reminded us of the importance of a legacy of a life well-lived for Christ. So, in all the fullness of this season, we, too, are striving to faithfully serve and obediently follow Christ in a way that points all those that we encounter to Christ! May your Christmas season be filled with God’s goodness and love during this beautiful season!

Love,
M., K., N., A., H., L., A., and B.

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